By Don VanderVeen

KALAMAZOO – Anyone unfamiliar with the phrase that “It’s a Small World” may have been one of the few people left on the planet not in attendance for the 2002 Big League Softball World Series championship game.

It seemed like just about everyone else was there.

Well, maybe not quite EVERYONE, but the estimated crowd of 4,200 remains a Big League World Series attendance record to this day.

The sight was something to behold. Every seat was filled. Players and teams from around the world were lined up four and five deep around Vanderberg Park’s Wilson Field sitting and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow softball fans, friends and family.

They were treated to an extra-inning classic that included outstanding pitching and big-time defensive plays until a “shot heard ‘round the World” ultimately gave Grand Rapids District 9 a 1-0 victory over the host team from Kalamazoo.

“It was like at a Major League baseball game when they scan the cameras and all you see is people and every seat taken,” District 9 manager Lee Vasquez said. “I scanned the crowd with my own eyes and thought ‘Wow! There are a lot of people here.’

“It was show time.”

Everything was intensified. Every pitch. Every play. Every call. Every at bat. 

That was the year when, for the first time, the World Series featured two teams from the same state playing in the championship game as Grand Rapids District 9 and host Michigan District 2 from Kalamazoo squared off in front of ESPN cameras on Big League Softball’s biggest stage.

The perennial World Series entries from the Netherlands, Canada, Puerto Rico and Far East (Philippines) were there, along with six U.S. representatives that included the host team from Kalamazoo and its growing rival from nearby Grand Rapids District 9, representing the U.S. Central Region.

As tournament host, Kalamazoo teams had appeared in every Big League Softball World Series to date. Grand Rapids District 9 was making its third overall and second World Series appearance under Manager Lee Vasquez, who had been active in Little League, Junior League, Senior League and Big League softball since his daughters – Jenny and Amanda – were Michigan’s state champions as 10-11 year olds.

“I originally got into coaching for my kids,” Lee Vasquez said “After coaching your kids from tee ball on up and living the dream that we would someday get to the World Series and to be able to do it with both of your daughters on the team was like a dream come true.

“It’s something you work for years and years to accomplish, and it was great for them to experience it together. To win it was icing on the cake.”

With the core of his team coming out of the renowned Pinery Park and Georgetown programs – who had previously sent baseball teams to the Little League World Series – Lee Vasquez pieced together the strongest District 9 Big League Softball team ever in 2002.

Returning to the lineup from a fifth-place World Series finish in 2001 were pitcher Tarin Foster, centerfielder Heather Gamble, shortstop Tara Marsh, outfielder Margaret Gordon, catcher Raelyn Barnhardt, infielder Crystal Gonzalez and the Vasquez sisters. Jenny played first base and Amanda was the second baseman.

“My most memorable experience was being able to play with my sister, Amanda, for one last time and also being able to play under my dad as well,” Jenny Vasquez said. “Competing against other softball players from other countries and from around our country and seeing the different cultures and hearing all the different languages is one of the best thing about the World Series.

“To win the World Series on our last game together as a threesome was very memorable. It is something that I will never forget.”

In 2002, District 9 expanded its reach to attract accomplished travel softball players Rachel Gillespie, Jessica Grant and Candace VanderVeen from the northeast reaches of the district. Along with a full slate of summer tournaments, the three had competed with and against their newfound teammates in District 9 tournaments and at the high school level.

Additional newcomers to the 2002 District 9 team included Barb Korpi, Jodi Dieterle, Becky Koetje and Andrea Wagner from the Georgetown program.

Grand Rapids opened World Series play with a victory over the U.S. East Region, which had won the World Series the previous year. District 9 also defeated teams from Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Southwest to advance to the elimination round.

As the week went on, the Grand Rapids team continued to get stronger. Timely hitting, solid pitching and outstanding defensive play carried the team to a top seed in its bracket and a semifinal game against the U.S. West Region champions representing Antelope Valley, Calif. Amanda Vasquez drove home the winning run against the West to send District 9 to the championship game.

“It was about hard work, dedication and the right mix of kids,” Lee Vasquez said. “We were able to go out there and put it to them.”

After going undefeated in the other bracket of pool play, Kalamazoo faced a tough opponent in Puerto Rico – a team Grand Rapids had defeated earlier in the week – for its semifinal game. Trailing for much of the game, a clutch hit by Kalamazoo’s Ashley Howard drove home the tying and winning runs and propelled the local entry into the championship game.

The stage was set. Two unbeaten teams, representing cities located less than an hour’s drive apart, were going to play for the Big League World Series championship.

The fan support for the championship game did not disappoint. Standing four or five deep around the field with the bleachers filled to capacity, the estimated crowd of 4,200 (on the “Bud-O-Meter”) still stands as a single game Big League World Series record.

“It was unbelievable,” District 9’s Candace VanderVeen said. “I’ve never played in front of a crowd that big. It was overwhelming.

“It was like a professional sports event with people cheering for you and all the signs and banners and stuff. That atmosphere was electric.”

They were treated to a game that had a little bit of everything in a game that went scoreless for eight innings.

Pitching: Tarin Foster of Grand Rapids and Jackie Greer of Kalamazoo were nothing short of stellar. Through eight innings, neither allowed a run to score. The two pitchers had faced each other in the high school state quarterfinals earlier that spring with Greer and her Portage Northern team winning a 1-0 decision before going on to win the state championship. In the World Series championship game, both hurlers came through with big pitches when needed, including Foster’s strikeout of Michigan’s Miss Softball, Ashlee Smith, with two outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the eighth inning.

“Tarin pitched so well,” Candace VanderVeen said. “I can still remember it to this day how she went out there every inning and got stronger and stronger. Our defense was helping out when we needed to and Tarin kept District 2 on their toes the whole game.

“We knew that once we went into extra innings that her pitching limit was going to expire, so we had to do something.”

Defense: Grand Rapids shortstop Tara Marsh threw behind a runner to first baseman Jenny Vasquez for a double play to end one threat, while centerfielder Heather Gamble fired a strike to third baseman Jodi Dieterle to throw out a Kalamazoo runner at third base that represented a potential winning run with less than two outs. Kalamazoo catcher Smith, meanwhile, threw out a runner who got a little too far off second base. Grand Rapids second baseman Amanda Vasquez stretched out for an over-the-head catch to yet steal another hit and save a run. It was a defensive showcase.

Close Calls: Kalamazoo had runners in scoring position and a chance to win the game with a walkoff hit in the bottom half of both the seventh and eighth innings. One ball, hit by Kalamazoo shortstop Tricia VanDerSlik with a runner on second base, fell just foul outside the right field line in the eighth. VanDerSlik ended up with a walk before Foster was able to strike out Kalamazoo’s most dangerous hitter and Michigan’s Miss Softball with the winning run in scoring position.

Dramatics: Grand Rapids’ cleanup hitter Candace VanderVeen, only 16, led off the top half of ninth inning with a solo home run over the left field fence for the game’s only score.

Tension: After allowing one runner to reach base in the bottom half of the ninth, Foster shut down Kalamazoo and right fielder Margaret Gordon made a running catch for the last out of the game to give Grand Rapids its first Big League World Series title.

“The entire bottom of the ninth seemed to go in slow motion until the very last out when we all tackled each other with joy,” Amanda Vasquez said. “It was a moment my dad, sister and I had dreamed of ever since we were just little girls playing in the 9-10 year-old division.

“It was great to see my father with his proud expression and sigh of relief. We finally did it!”

Many of the girls from that 2002 District 9 team continued to play in high school, college and beyond. Some of them are now married. Some are mothers. Some have been graduated from college. Some have begun successful careers. All of them have fond memories from competing in the Big League Softball World Series.

“Growing up, it was always a goal to play in and win the World Series,” Amanda Vasquez said. “The best thing about playing in the World Series was the friendships and memories I have developed that will last me a lifetime.”

It was the start of a rivalry that has extended throughout the new millennium. Either Kalamazoo (2000, 2006) or Grand Rapids (2002, 2004) has won the World Series title in the even years.

In 2004, Grand Rapids won a championship game rematch by defeating Kalamazoo 7-0 to win its second Big League Softball World Series title. Candace VanderVeen, who drove in three runs in the 2004 championship game, and Manager Lee Vasquez were the only holdovers from Grand Rapids’ 2002 championship team.

“The second time we won it was just as good, but it was a little different,” Lee Vasquez said. “Obviously, my daughters weren’t on the team for that one and it wasn’t quite as dramatic. But it showed that the first one wasn’t a fluke.

“Even though you don’t see your kids out there, I still coached like they were still playing. I treated all of them out of there like they all were my own kids.”

True to form, the host team from Kalamazoo – which won the World Series title in 2000 – won it for the second time in 2006.

Who will emerge as the Big League Softball World Series champion in 2008?

There can be only one.

But win or lose, the 10 teams competing in this outstanding tournament will be blessed with all the friendships and lifelong memories the Big League Softball World Series has to offer. There are few better awards or rewards for girls who are dedicated to the sport of fastpitch softball.

“Hands down, it was the most fun tournament I’ve ever played in,” Candace VanderVeen said. “We were there to play softball, but it wasn’t only about softball. The whole week of activities, and experiences, and friendships, and camaraderie and getting housed with our host families were all part of a great experience that none of us will ever forget.”

(Don VanderVeen is a former Big League Softball World Series parent, coach and manager)